Middleton baptist church

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Middleton Baptist Church NEW Budget Report

Middleton Baptist Church acknowledges and is grateful to the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches, Immanuel Baptist Church, Ecclesiastical Insurance, and New Minas Baptist Church for the assistance with the material in this policy.

Abuse of Vulnerable Persons means harm or threatened harm to a vulnerable person’s health or welfare by a leader or volunteer responsible for the vulnerable person’s health or welfare which occurs through non-accidental physical or mental injury; sexual abuse; sexual exploitation or maltreatment.

A Vulnerable Person includes children, youth and vulnerable adults who have a reduced capacity to look after their own interests, needs and wellbeing. This also may include adults with cognitive or physical disabilities that prevent them from fully protecting themselves.

B. Physical Abuse;

Physical abuse means any non-accidental human act that results in physical pain or injury to a person – whether or not it leaves a cut, mark or a bruise. Physically abusive behavior ranges from slapping, pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, and biting to more severe forms like choking, severe spanking, beating, hitting with an object, burning, stabbing and shooting. Physical abuse is any intentional means of inflicting pain or injury to another person. It can be a single event, or it can also be a chronic pattern of behavior.
C. Physical Neglect;

Negligent treatment means harm or threatened harm by a person responsible for the health or welfare of a vulnerable person through behaviors such as the failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care. It means placing a vulnerable person at an unreasonable risk to the vulnerable person’s health or welfare by failure of the parents, legal guardian, or any other person responsible for the vulnerable person’s health or welfare to intervene to eliminate that risk when that person is able to do so and has, or should have, knowledge of that risk.

Sexual abuse is the exploitation of a vulnerable person or any sexual intimacy forced on a vulnerable person for the sexual stimulation or gratification of another person. Vulnerable person sexual abuse can refer to taking advantage of a vulnerable person who is not capable of understanding sexual acts or resisting coercion such as threats or offers of gifts. Sexual abuse may or may not involve sexual contact. Examples of non-physical sexual abuse include people exposing themselves, displaying pornographic material, photographing a vulnerable person for pornographic materials, obscene telephone calls, spying on people, and requests to engage in sexual activity (where no physical contact occurs). Examples of sexual abuse involving physical contact includes fondling of body parts such as breasts, crotch, buttocks, or sexual organs; intercourse; oral and anal sex.

Emotional abuse means attempting to control a person’s life through words, threats, and fear; destroying a person’s self-worth through harassment, threats, and deprivation. Emotional abuse weakens a person’s, especially a vulnerable person’s, mental and physical ability to resist, cuts off his or her contact with others, and causes a gradual loss of self-esteem – all of which reinforce a sense of helplessness and dependence on the abuser.

F. Improper Discipline and Touching;

Corporal punishment (slapping, hitting, pushing), abusive verbal discipline (hurling insults, threatening), or behavior as consistent with physical or emotional abuse (A, B and E above) constitutes inappropriate application of discipline. Proper discipline includes expectations that are consistent with the age of the child, and informing parents when children and youth misbehave beyond minor correction. Inappropriate touching also includes sexually suggestive or prolonged touching for the gratification of the person in authority, revenge-seeking behavior, or behavior consistent with A, B, or D above.
G. Harassment;

Harassment means any improper behavior by a person engaged in any paid or volunteer capacity, role or function with the organization that is offensive to any other such person or group of persons and which the person knew, or should reasonably have known, would be unwelcome. Harassment can take many forms but generally involves conduct, comment, or display which is insulting, intimidating, humiliating, hurtful, demeaning, belittling, malicious, degrading, or otherwise causes offense, discomfort, or personal humiliation, or embarrassment to a person or group of persons. Appropriate discipline in order to deal with inappropriate behavior is not harassment.

Leaders include those members who oversee the various ministry programs.

Volunteers are individuals who serve in church programs and/or who have direct contact with vulnerable persons in their care of supervision.

Staff are those individuals paid by the church to carry out the objectives of the church as outlined in their job descriptions.

An adherent is considered anyone who attends MBC regularly but is not a member.

An adult is a person 18 years of age or older.

All persons desiring to work with children, youth and/or vulnerable persons through MBC, whether as a staff member, adherent or volunteer and who may potentially be placed in a position of trust with them, must first meet the following qualifications: (Note: All screening documentation will be kept confidential and on file indefinitely)

1. 
   Complete a Criminal Records Check and a Child Abuse Registry Check. A record involving any abuse of children will, in all cases, disqualify the individual from working with children, youth and/or vulnerable persons, through this ministry.
   

2. 
   Upon request, complete an application form and supply references;
   

3. 
   Upon request, be interviewed or recruited by the Pastor(s), or Governance board.
   

4. 
   Regularly attend MBC as a member or adherent for at least six months (an exception to this requirement may be granted by Pastors or Governance Board).
   

5. 
   Participate in annual training which will include the review of this policy and the viewing of a video/training tool approved by the Pastor of Family Ministries or Lead Pastor.
   

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  A two-adult guideline should be used whenever possible, or windows are to be in all classrooms where one adult is with the children or door must be left open.
  
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  Being alone with any child ‘one on one’ is STRONGLY discouraged. Young children should not be left in an individual’s care behind closed doors or in an isolated and private location, whenever possible.
  
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  Youth 11-17 years of age are permitted to assist as long as an adult volunteer is readily available.
  
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  Leaders and children should remain in the classroom until parents or designated person arrive at the door to pick up their children, unless written permission by parent or designated person to let them go on their own is received.
  
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  Leaders to child ratio is recommended as follows:
  

Toddlers – 1 adult to 6 toddlers

3-5 years – 1 adult to 8 children

5 years and over – 1 adult to 15 children

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  Nursery workers may be required to change diapers. Some parents may specify that they would like to be called to change their child themselves.
  
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  Permission should be received from the parents before diaper changing takes place
  
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  Diaper changing must always take place in such a way that another nursery worker can easily see the child that is being changed, as well as the other children and workers in the room
  

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  Parents are encouraged to take their preschool age children to visit the washroom prior to each class or service.
  
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  When preschool children need assistance in the washroom, a leader/volunteer may enter the washroom cubicle (cubicle door remains open) to assist only when a second volunteer is within visual contact. If this is not possible, inform another volunteer when taking a child to the washroom and when returning.
  
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  Older children may go to the washroom with a buddy
  
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  If there is an emergency bathroom situation, the parent or supervisor should be notified immediately.
  

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  A two-adult guideline should be used at all times, whenever possible, or windows are to be installed or door must be left open when there is only one adult present.
  
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  When the two-person policy cannot be used, notify a parent before a proposed one-to-one contact with a youth (e.g. in a mentoring relationship) and ask permission to meet. Meet in either a public area either inside or outside the church where both people can be seen by others.
  
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  Staff members, adherents, and volunteers who work with youth will be reminded of the importance of avoiding potentially compromising situations in which an allegation of abuse, harassment or neglect could be made.
  
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  Parental consent forms will be used for all activities or events, which require an overnight stay or travel.
  

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  Parental permission must be given for field trips or overnight events. Both medical release forms and permissions slips are required.
  
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  Minimum of 2 adult leaders for overnight events. If the group is comprised of children/youth of both genders, leaders of both genders must be present.
  
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  When transporting, all drivers must have a valid driver’s license, current insurance, and seat belts for all children. Drivers must be at least 21 years of age with a non-graduated license. Two adults per vehicle is preferred.
  
  
  

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  Staff members, leaders and volunteers will be kept informed of the dangers of abuse, harassment and neglect and to remind them of the importance of adherence to the Abuse Prevention Policy. A mandatory training program will be set up, implemented and completed every year.
  
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  The congregation will annually be informed of the dangers of abuse of vulnerable persons and reminded of the importance of strict adherence to this policy.
  

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  Any person who has reasonable grounds to believe that a vulnerable person is in need of protection is legally required to report the matter. In addition, every person who performs professional or official duties with respect to a vulnerable person (including a youth leader) that, in the course of that person’s professional or official duties, has reasonable grounds to suspect that a vulnerable person is or may be suffering or may have suffered abuse is required to report the matter.
  
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  A person who knowingly fails to report, or knowingly files a false report, in these circumstances is in violation of the law and may be found to have committed an offense.
  
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  In the event that an allegation of abuse, neglect of a vulnerable person is made, it will be reported immediately to the Lead Pastor. The Lead Pastor shall report the situation to the Moderator of the Governance board.
  
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  If for any reason the above procedures have not been followed, the leader must report their suspicions of abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person directly to Family and Children’s Services, or local police.
  
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  The process will be carefully documented using the accompanying reporting forms, including dates, time, and content of all conversation pertaining to the alleged abuse or harassment.
  
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  When appropriate, legal counsel will be contacted and the incident will be reported to the insurance company.
  
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  Strict confidentiality will be maintained for alleged victim and alleged perpetrator.
  
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  One person, preferably a member of the governance board, will be appointed to report to Media.
  
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  All paperwork concerning allegations will be kept under lock and key.
  
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  The alleged perpetrator will be relieved of their position immediately pending an investigation. In the event the accused is a staff member, they will be suspended with pay pending an investigation.
  
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  Any incident, in which there is a concern for the safety or well-being of a vulnerable person under the care and supervision of our ministry, will be taken seriously.
  
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  Prayer support and pastoral care will be provided for all involved.
  
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  If a pastor is accused of abuse, the guidelines contained in the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches Moral Failure document will be followed.
  
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  If a member/adherent of MBC is accused/convicted of abuse of a vulnerable person outside of Middleton Baptist Church, that person may be asked to appear before the Governance Board and be subject to church discipline.